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The Big C Review: "Summer Time"

Through two episodes, The Big C is worth a viewer's time due to a few funny lines and, most memorably, for Laura Linney's outstanding, versatile performance as Cathy Jamison.

But the series is already in danger of making this cancer-stricken woman a bit too unlikable. That is Showtime's specialty, of course. Some of its most successful shows focus on female protagonists that teeter on the edge of sheer awfulness. Think Nurse Jackie and Weeds.

I'm a fan of both those programs, and certainly don't need my main characters to be morally pure at all times. But my initial reaction to a couple of Cathy's decisions in "Summer Time" were simply: Well, that's just rude!

I know she has a new lease on life and all, but just walking out of therapy and yanking her son from summer camp in such an embarrassing fashion doesn't help the ones she loves. Really, at their heart, these actions are just selfish.

Moreover, at this rate, when Cathy dies, her family's reaction will be a mixture of anger and mourning. How could you not resent someone that didn't let you say goodbye?

Overall nit-picking aside, the episode had its humorous moments, namely:

Andrea serving as Cathy's back-up during the paintball-based heist of Adam.

Paul mixing up "grass" for... you know.

By dealing with cancer, it's inevitable that The Big C would have trouble balancing its tone. But I'm confident it will find its way, just as Cathy will eventually find her way through dealing with a terminal diseases, making changes in her life and being fair to those around her; and, as I continually say, Linney makes almost every scene she's in worthwhile.